This blog looks at the works performed by an oculoplastic surgeon. The blog discusses the common eyelid conditions that an oculoplastic surgeon dealed with on daily basis with real patient photos (consent obtained).

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Total Face Transplant

I came across this remarkable story about this American man who underwent total face transplant last week. the previous face transplants were only partial.

A MAN who had his face wiped off by an electric shock while working as a cherry picker has successfully received the United States' first full face transplant.

Dallas Wiens, 25, can look forward to a new life with a donated face attached last week by a 30-strong team at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital, which said it was "the first full face transplant" performed in the country.
Although plastic surgeons could not restore Mr Wiens's sight, he is otherwise on the road to recovery and already chatting, leading doctor, Bohdan Pomahac, told a press conference.
"He's awake and talking on a cell phone," he said.

"Today's tremendous news marks a new milestone in Brigham and Women's legacy in transplant surgery," hospital president Betsy Nable said.
"The pioneering achievement by the entire transplant team is a gift made possible by the most selfless act one human being can do for another, organ donation."

Before the injury.

Mr Wiens, from Texas, was injured in November 2008 when his head touched a high voltage electrical wire. The burns literally erased his face.

Dr Pomahac led the team of physicians, nurses and anesthesiologists for more than 15 hours to replace Mr Wiens's "nose, lips, facial skin, muscles of facial animation and the nerves that power them to provide sensation", a statement said.
The $302,660 cost of the operation was met by the US Department of Defense as part of research into aiding severely wounded service personnel.
Mr Wiens's grandfather, Del Peterson, thanked doctors effusively for their surgical marathon.
"You have made this day an amazing journey. And you have blessed Dallas's life and we thank you," he said.
"Dallas always said after the injury that he now had a choice: he could just choose to get bitter, or choose to get better.
"His choice was to get better. Thank God today he's better."
This was the second face transplant the hospital has done in the last four years.
A partial transplant was performed on James Maki, who fell on the electrified rail in a Boston subway station and severely burned most of his face.
Dr Pomahac, flanked by the rest of his team, said the prognosis for patients in such ground-breaking operations was good.
"I am happy to report that Jim Maki, our first face transplant recipient, is doing great and we're confident that Dallas is on a similar course," he said.

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About Me

I am an eye surgeon who also specializes in eyeid surgery. I was trained in Oxford Eye Hospital from 1997 till 2001. I am now a Professor in Ophthalmology in UNIMAS Medical School. Apart from this blogspot, I manage two othe sites Success in MRCOphth and Sarawak Eye Care.